Thursday, September 24, 2009

"Who among you is the greatest?" This was the topic of discussion among the HolyApostles. There was jealousy among the Twelve as to who was the most important. Jesus pulls them aside, and explains that the Apostles must be humble and simple. "Unless you become like a little child, you will not enter into God's Kingdom." We are to be servants of Our Lord. Jesus stresses the need for service at the Last Supper, when He washes the feet of all of the Apostles. Jealousy, strife, and gossip cannot be part of the Body of Christ.

Jesus was teaching the Apostles to show charity and compassion towards one another. In giving this witness to the other disciples, the Apostles were setting the stage for all Christian communities rooted in Our Lord. We must take seriously the call of Jesus in our lives to become His servants. Like the Twelve, we must put aside all selfishness and strife, and strive to become unselfish. Only through Christ, can this conversion take place in our lives. Every thought, word, action and deed are recorded in the Book of Life. How will your final judgment be before the Christ?

Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,Fr. Mark

Through our service and our sacrifice may we grow closer to Jesus and help others to know the love and care of Our Lord.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

The following is a story of our beloved Saint RobertBellarmine, through the Mercy of God, curing a man with a running ulcer.

"There was in the College of Louvain, while Robert was residing there, one of the Society" (no very independent witness in the cause) "who had had, for many years, a running ulcer in his leg. Physicians and surgeons had tried all the succors of their art, but had not cured the wound.

The patient, therefore, anxious in mind, and seeing that human care was mastered by the pertinacity of the disease, began to consider within himself whether there was any man made after God's heart, by whose prayer a way to recovery might be opened to him. While he was thus meditating within himself, Bellarmine appeared to be an effectual and grateful offerer of prayer to God; and a hope sprang up within him that he might at once recover, if, after sacred confession, he could also be refreshed by him in the communion. His faith was not vain. The Rector consented.

He deposited the secret of his conscience in the ears of Robert, from hishand received the most holy Eucharist, and, behold, his leg was restored to soundness.The surgeon was astonished, when in two or three days he saw the wound covered with living and native skin, and the slightest trace of so long-disease did not remain upon the part."

Want More Little Known Secrets and ControversiesAbout St. Robert Bellarmine? Click HERE!

The following is a direct quote from Cardinal Robert Bellarmine responding to a question on why he was such a good Archbishop in Capua.

This quote reveals one of Cardinal Bellarmine's "secrets" to his pursuit of holiness.

In reply to a friend who asked him, someyears afterwards, by what means he made himself so good an Archbishop during his residenceof three years in Capua, he gives this account :"As when one looks into a mirror, I set my mind to consider intently the life and conduct of the most admired Bishops that had been in the Church before me; endeavouring, by God's help,to throw off all that was imperfect in myself,and assume a new exterior, resembling theirs asnearly as possible, that so I might adapt myactions thereunto. Therefore read constantlythe histories of those Bishops, perusing in orderthe volumes of Surius; and I read, especially,the lives of the holy Popes Ambrose, Martin,Augustine, Germanus, Anselm of Canterbury,Antonine of Florence, Lawrence and others. But I derived the greatest advantage from the narratives of those most holy Prelates who went before me in Capua, Ansbertus and Andoenus ; for both of them perfectly sustained the name and office of Pastor,nourishing the souls of their subjects with theconstant preaching of the word of God, theirbodies with liberal charities, and themselves withthe wholesome food of prayer."

Here is the exact scripture quote whereSt. Robert Bellarmine based this practice ofimitating the lives of the saints.

This comes from a fellow blogger phatcatholic. He did an entire thesis on the history of the catechism. As you may know Cardinal Roberto Francesco Romolo Bellarmino was the king of the catechism. If you did not know, then keep reading to find out why St. Robert Bellarmine is the patron Saint of Catechumens.

In his encyclical Etsi minime,Pope Benedict XIV addressed this problem by proposing the catechism of Robert Bellarmine as the standard for teaching Christian doctrine (Kevane xxxi). Benedict says of it, “There is nothing more effective or opportune for guarding in advance against the errors which can creep into the situation of such a variety of Catechisms for children” (qtd. in Kevane xxxii). He also stated that if a local catechism must be used, care should be taken that nothing be added to it that contradicts Catholic truth, and that these truths are presented in a clear and comprehensive yet concise manner (xxxii).

In 1869, with the convening of the First Vatican Council, the Church again took up the problem articulated by Pope Benedict XIV. Besides the publication of two Dogmatic Constitutions (Dei Filius and Pastor aeternus), which themselves did much to solidify the Church’s teaching on Divine Revelation and the Infallibility of the Pope, steps were taken to compose a uniform catechism for use throughout the entire Church (xxxiv-xxxv). That the Church, after so many years, would still be concerned with a uniform presentation of the faith is a testament to her constant zeal and concern for the Deposit entrusted to her. She is always desirous to pass it on with the utmost fidelity and to nurture within the hearts of men a true and lasting increase in understanding and conversion to Christ.

The schema presented to the Council Fathers on January 14, 1870 expressed the intent of the Council:

All the members of the Church of Christ diffused throughout the whole world should be of one heart and one soul; hence they must likewise be unified in their lips and their language. It must be recognized, however, that a variety in approach and method of teaching the rudiments of the faith to the faithful is no slight obstacle to this unity. Hence, with the approval of this Council, We shall take care to produce a Small Catechism by Our authority, which all are to use. Thus, the variety of small Catechisms will be removed for the future. (qtd. in Kevane xxxv)

Again, the catechism of St. Robert Bellarmine was held as the standard to be emulated, and after some weeks of discussion, the project for a Small Catechism was brought to a formal vote and overwhelmingly approved by the bishops. Unfortunately, the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War forced the Council to suspend its work before the disciplinary decree for the Small Catechism could be officially promulgated (xxxvi). “Thus the pastors and the faithful continued after Vatican I with the Roman Catechism together with the several national and regional Catechisms for children as the ongoing teaching aids for handing on the elements and rudiments of the deposit of faith” (xxxvii).

O God, who, for the greater glory of your most Holy Mother Church, has raised to the altar a great defender and soldier for the Church. Grant that through the intercession of thy great servant Saint Robert Bellarmine that we may imitate his virtues in order to be happily crowned with him in heaven. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Throughout the Gospels, we find the healing power of Jesus making whole all that were sick. Mark tells us in His Gospel, that Jesus healed the deaf and mute man. First, He placed His finger in the man's ears. Then He prayed "Ephaphatha"... be opened. Immediately, the man was healed. His speech impediment was also cured. All healing, large and small, comes from Our Lord. We are privileged to receive healing from Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist. When our souls are free from serious sin, we receive healing from our reception of Jesus in Holy Communion.

Just as Jesus healed in His day, so too does He heal today. But we must be open to accept this great gift. Spending time before Our Eucharistic Lord, and frequent confession combine to keep us healthy in our body, mind, and spirit. Go to confession often. Make visits to the Blessed Sacrament often. And enjoy the beautiful healing that flows from Jesus' Most Sacred Heart. Come share in the healing power of the Eucharist.

May we grow rich in our faith, realizing that God does not measure us by what we possess, but rather by the mercy we show to another. eternity rings,personal chef catering Just posting these links as a favor, please ignore.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

This past Saturday, the Church celebrated the feast day of Mother Teresa, a universal symbol of God's merciful and preferential love for the poor and forgotten.

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia, the youngest of three children. She attended a youth group called Sodality, run by a Jesuit priest at her parish, and her involvement opened her to the call of service as a missionary nun.

She joined the Sisters of Loretto at age 17 and was sent to Calcutta where she taught at a high school. She contracted Tuberculosis and was sent to rest in Darjeeling. It was on the train to Darjeeling that she received her calling - what she called "an order" from God to leave the convent and work and live among the poor. At this point she did not know that she was to found an order of nuns, or even exactly where she was to serve. "I knew where I belonged, but I did not know how to get there," she said once, recalling the moment on the train.

Confirmation of the calling came when the Vatican granted her permission to leave the Sisters of Loretto and fulfill her calling under the Archbshop of Calcutta. She started working in the slums, teaching poor children, and treating the sick in their homes. She was joined a year later by some of her former students and together they took in men, women, and children who were dying in the gutters along the streets and cared for them.

In 1950 the Missionaries of Charity were born as a congregation of the Diocese of Calcutta and in 1952 the government granted them a house from which to continue their service among Calcutta's forgotten.

The congregation very quickly grew from a single house for the dying and unwanted to nearly 500 around the world. Mother Teresa set up homes for AIDS sufferers, for prostitutes, for battered women, and orphanages for poor children.

She often said that the poorest of the poor were those who had no one to care for them and no one who knew them. And she often remarked with sadness and desolation of milliions of souls in the developed world whose spiritual poverty and loneliness was such an immense cause of suffering.

She was a fierce defender of the unborn saying: "If you hear of some woman who does not want to keep her child and wants to have an abortion, try to persuade her to bring him to me. I will love that child, seeing in him the sign of God's love."

Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997 and was beatified only six years later, on October 19, 2003.

Mother Teresa once said, "A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, must empty ourselves. The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace." She also said, "give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your own weakness."

Thursday, September 3, 2009

So, I found a book haven at a nearby town, with a HUGE lot of books. All used, all in good condition and the most professional setting for a used book store. I had a big smile when he said he had over 2 thousand Catholic books. Now this guy is a book lover! Can you believe I found a book written by St. Bellarmine? Many, many good books. And yet there were some gut wrenching ugly ones. So bad, I had to creat a list for your enjoyment.

The 10 Worst Catholic Book Titles

(yes, these are real books and the year published says it all)

A Catechism of the Liberal Catholic Church no date, I hope it's not a real catechism.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

What does it mean to give God "lip service"? Mark's Gospel has Jesus warning His Disciples not be superficial in our love for the Lord. In conjunction with the Torah (Jewish Law), there was a book of Jewish practices flowing from it. Many Jews of Jesus' day, knew the practice, but didn't know or understand the reason for the act. They had lost "heart". Have you ever been asked why, as a practicing Catholic, you "do" certain acts: fasting, liturgical rituals, novenas, holy days, etc? Ever at a loss to explain just why you do these things? Perhaps we too, could be accused of losing heart.

Continuing adult faith education is a very good thing. Over the past six years there have been numerous opportunity to learn more about the Catholic faith through adult ed classes here in our own parish. Have you taken advantage of these classes? When is the last time you have studied or read a book about your Catholic Faith. We cannot share with others, what we do not know or understand. Next time you have the chance to take a class or read a book on faith; don't let it slip past you. Ask Our Lord to put a hunger for the Catholic Faith in your heart. I promise you, He will hear and answer that prayer for you.

Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,

Fr. Mark

May we not only hear God's word, but also learn to live it everyday of our lives